Holsters for firearms that have been adapted to secure the weapon to the body of a person include shoulder holsters, and leg or ankle holsters. The term "holster" generally refers to an easily accessible enclosure for the firearm, with the enclosure secured to a fastening device, such as clips, straps, belts, etc. Ankle holsters are usually designed with a strap or belt to wrap around the ankle of the lower leg of the individual, just above the protruding ankle bone. If the individual is wearing a boot, the holster strap wraps around the boot or a combination of the boot and ankle. Firearms so secured are somewhat out of sight, and are designed to be quickly accessible with little effort. The ankle holster and firearm are commonly worn by law enforcement officers in the line of duty.
Ankle holsters presently available must be secured very tightly to the lower leg of the wearer to maintain the holstered firearm in a constant location. The tight fit of the ankle holster is also necessary since law enforcement officers often engage in strenuous physical activity that can cause the holster to shift or rotate around the ankle. Unless the holster is tight against the lower leg, rubbing may occur that will cause substantial discomfort, skin lesions and other problems. Moreover, it is important for fast drawing of the firearm secured in the holster that the holster remain at one position around the leg so that when the wearer reaches down to withdraw the firearm, the weapon is in the expected location.
Normally the firearm or handgun carried in an ankle holster is of a smaller caliber because the holster becomes uncomfortable if it is carrying too much weight. Presently the largest firearm comfortably carried in the available ankle holsters is a 0.380 caliber weapon. Law enforcement officers may feel the need to carry a larger caliber, heavier firearm, but find numerous drawbacks to doing so.
In order to maintain the ankle holster and contained firearm in position during strenuous physical activity, or to accommodate large caliber firearms, it is customary for wearers to secure the strap or belt of the ankle holster very tightly around the ankle area of the leg. This practice often results in constriction or restriction of vascular circulation in the ankle area. Further, it has been known that firearms held in such holsters can penetrate into the skin and flesh in the lower leg so as to pinch nerves, restrict movement of the foot relative to the ankle and leg, and to otherwise cause very serious medical problems. This is an ongoing problem since law enforcement officers will wear the ankle holster from eight to twelve hours a day, four to six days a week, over many years.
Various solutions to the ankle holster problem have been observed. Wearers have employed a second strap from the holster that wraps around the top of the calf to hold the holster in a more upright position. Large amounts of padding have been added on the inside of the strap or belt adjacent the location of the firearm. This padding adds weight, provides little additional comfort, and puts additional distance between the ankle and the holster, thus making the firearm and holster less concealable.
A number of innovations have been developed relating to devices for securing weapons or the like to the ankle, shoe or boot of an individual. The following U. S. patents are representative of some of those innovations.
Phalan, in U.S. Pat. No. 348,233, discloses an interior pocket permanently fastened within a boot for carrying small items.
A shoe support is shown by Osaki in U.S. Pat. No. 1,155,506.
Eastman, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,576,278, describes a knife scabbard with a sharpener contained in a pocket of the scabbard.
A detatchable shoe pocket device that is secured to the laces of a shoe is disclosed by Harrell in U.S. Pat. No. 4,507,882.
Fields et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,370, describes a boot lace storage device that is secured around a boot top.
A leg holster that fastens around both the ankle and the upper calf of the wearer is disclosed by Stoesser in U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,242, and by Newmark in U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,788.
A design patent by Gonzales, U.S. Des. 248,866, shows a leg holster with multiple straps possibly having hook and loop fasteners.
McMahon, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,871, and Taurisano, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,410,118, disclose "universal holster assembly" devices for firearms that can be secured to the body of the wearer at various locations.
Thus, there is an unmet need for a holster and holster assembly which securely and tightly holds a handgun or like firearm stationary relative to the lower leg, and proximate the ankle, but which need not be so tightly secured to the ankle region that vascular circulation is restricted. The needed holster must be capable of being worn for extended periods of time without encountering medical problems from loss of vascular circulation, pinched nerves or other problems that a tourniquet-like device causes.